Cassandra gets her comuptence
by erica.phoenix16
Summary: Alternate ending of Challenge of the Brave. One Shot.


**I don't own any characters except my own. Tangled belongs to Disney. It always bugged a lot of people that Cassandra got off scott free when she could've caused Rapunzel to die all for the sake of winning a tournament. This fic is to fix that problem, I hope you all enjoy it.**

 **Note, I didn't watch the episode, but I decided to write about it anyway, because of my readers requested it.**

* * *

It was the perfect day for the annual Challenge of the Brave and both Cassandra and Rapunzel were trying their hardest to win the contest. The main difference between the two girls was that Rapunzel was confident in her skills, while Cassandra felt threatened and overshadowed by Rapunzel. As she was getting ready for the final challenge, she noticed that the wagon where all the weapons were being kept rolling past her. As the wagon drove on, Cassandra noticed that Rapunzel's trusted frying pan fell out!

At first, Cassandra thought of letting the driver know right away, but she recalled how the princess had beaten her in every single task of tournament so far. This was her chance to prove herself in front of the whole kingdom and with Rapunzel at a disadvantage, this would be easy. As Cassandra walked back inside the building, she was being watched by a little girl in the bushes. Her name was Elizabeth and she didn't like what she saw!

* * *

 _The nerve of that girl! Doesn't she know that our princess could die!_ Elizabeth thought to herself with outrage. _Isn't that girl meant to be Rapunzel's lady-in-waiting?_ She thought to herself.

With that, she hopped out from the brush, picked out the frying pan and decided to go for the King and Queen, since they would know what to do. Then she remembered that guards would surrounding the King and Queen at all times. As such, it would almost impossible to gain an audience with them.

 _How am I going to tell the King and Queen?_ Elizabeth lamented to herself. She then looked at the guards and decided to go the guard's themselves. As she walked towards the royal top box, Elizabeth started to feel nervous, she couldn't believe that she was going to do this and she had never been away from her Mommy and Daddy for this long before. She wondered if they and her sisters were starting to get worried or even noticed that she was gone. Then, Elizabeth was brought out of her thoughts as she heard a guard ask "Are you lost little girl?"

Elizabeth blinked as she realized that she was standing in front of the guards.

She cleared her throat as she said "Yes, but that's not the point. My name is Elizabeth and I saw the princess's frying pan fall out if the wagon."

As she showed them the frying pan, one of the guards asked "Where did you get this?"

"I saw it fall out of the wagon for the challenge of the brave." Elizabeth repeated.

The first guard took the frying pan from her and examined closely, before he and his fellow guard started to whisper to each other. Then, the first guard turned back to Elizabeth and said "Come with me."

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Elizabeth then found being escorted to the royal top box and in spite of herself, she couldn't help but be amazed at how long the stairs were.

 _How high are these things? Do they go on forever?_ The little girl wondered as she walked upwards. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, Elizabeth was pulled out of her thoughts as one of the guards knocked on the door. Elizabeth suddenly felt very nervous as she realized _I'm about to speak with the King and Queen and I don't have anything to wear!_

Elizabeth brushed that thought aside as the King asked "What is going on? Who is this child and why are you carrying my daughter's frying pan? She needs it for the challenge."

"This child claims to have seen it fall out from the wagon." The guard explained.

The King turned to look at the little girl and said "What is your name, child?"

"My name is Elizabeth." Elizabeth replied as she curtseyed before the royal couple.

"Thank you, my dear." The Queen replied as Elizabeth felt her cheeks blush.

"Did anyone else see this besides you?" The King inquired.

Elizabeth then remembered that Cassandra, Rapunzel's lady-in-waiting saw it to, but she didn't say or do anything.

The little girl pulled herself out of her thoughts as she said "Yes, it was the princess's last I'm waiting."

The King, the Queen and the guards all exchanged glances of shock.

"Cassandra? Why would she be silent on this matter?" The Queen questioned with disbelief.

The Captain of the guard spoke up and said "Cassandra's been talking about how much she wanted to win this tournament and in her tent, I heard her complain about how…."

Then, he stopped as a look of horror and realization appeared on his face.

"What's the matter?" The Queen asked with concern.

"Complain about how the princess seemed to outdo her in everything that she did." The Captain of the guard confessed.

Then, the rest of the guards, the King and Queen and even Elizabeth all turned pale at once.

"No...she wouldn't…" the Captain of the guard muttered in disbelief and denial.

"Bring her here." The King ordered in a no-nonsense tone that was quiet and barely hid his fury.

* * *

Sometime later, the challenge had been haunted and Elizabeth, the King, The Queen, Eugene and Rapunzel herself were all secretly watching one of the guards interrogate Cassandra from a distance.

Earlier, when Rapunzel was separated from Cassandra and told what she had done, she had refused to believe it. Even Eugene who was no fan of the daughter of the Captain didn't think she had it in her to willingly endanger Rapunzel's life all for the sake of winning of a tournament. However, everyone remained silent once the interrogation began.

"What is going on?" Cassandra demanded.

"We have received notice that a contestant noticed that a contestant's weapon of choice fell out of the wagon and said nothing." The guard replied evenly.

Cassandra did her best to keep her face blank as she said "What?"

The guard then asked "Tell me, what do you think would've happened to the contestant who lost their weapon?"

Cassandra thought it over for a few seconds before she replied with "They would lose the challenge."

"And wouldn't they be seriously injured and possibly killed?" The guard added as he walked around Cassandra.

The lady in waiting blinked in shock as a look of realization and horror slowly appeared on her face. Then, Cassandra did something that no one had ever seen before, she buried her face into her arms and began to cry.

Elizabeth, Rapunzel, Eugene, the King, the Queen and the Captain of the guard all exchanged glances of shock.

After what seemed to be an eternity, Cassandra lifted up her face and said "I didn't know that Rapunzel might die! I just wanted to prove myself in front of the whole kingdom!"

Rapunzel, Eugene, the King, the Queen and the Captain of the guard all had looks of shock and betrayal appear on their faces.

Then, Cassandra started to beg the guard interrogating her with "Please don't tell anyone that I didn't anything when the frying pan fell out! I don't want to lose my job as disappoint my Dad."

Before the guard could say anything, the King stormed into the room and said "Too bad. So sad. Cassandra, for negligence, you are nearby stripped of your duty of looking after the princess and you are disqualified and banned for life from the challenge of the brave."

Cassandra looked absolutely crestfallen as her father entered the room with a disappointed look on his face.

Rapunzel suddenly felt sorry for her friend as she suddenly spoke up with "Dad, I think you're being a little harsh."

"Rapunzel she would have die for a chance to glory." The King snarled. "You heard her, her own victory meant more to her, then your own safety."

"I know that, but I think she could do some community service rather then just being thrown into the dungeons." Rapunzel explained in a gentle tone. "I learned what you did after I was taken, you locked up anyone in the dungeons for any crime they did not matter how small it was. It led to Lady Kane and I don't want you to create another."

The King thought over the words of his daughter before and her turned back Cassandra and said "Very well, you will do a whole month of community service."

Then, the King and Rapunzel left the room.

* * *

A week later, Elizabeth was resting at home with her family when she heard a knock at the door.

"Who could that be?" Her mother wondered as she walked towards the front door. As she opened it, Elizabeth and her mother were amazed to discover the whole royal family standing outside their door. Elizabeth and her mother were stunned for a moment before they each dipped into curtsies. Elizabeth's mother managed to regain her voice as she said "Your majesties! This is an honor. What brings you to my home?"

The King chuckled as he said "I'm here to reward this young lady for her bravery." As he gestured towards Elizabeth, the little girl wished that the ground would swallow her up. She didn't like all this attention on her. Then, her mother interrupted her thoughts as she called out "Honey! The royal family's downstairs!"

"What?" Called back Elizabeth's father.

"I said the royal family's downstairs!" Elizabeth's mother repeated.

Elizabeth's father said nothing as his wife added "This is not a joke! They really are here!"

Picking up cue, Rapunzel called up "Hello, my name is Rapunzel! What's your name?"

Upstairs the group heard a gasp of shock, followed something breaking. At once, both a worried Elizabeth and her mother called out "Are you alright?"

Not wasting a second, the King ordered his men to go upstairs and check on Elizabeth's father. As soon as they hurried upstairs, the King turned to Elizabeth and assured her with "Don't worry, if anything happens to your father, I'll see to it that he gets the best medical care possible. As a King, I can offer you and your family much in rewards. As a father myself, I can never reward you and your family enough."

Suddenly, Elizabeth realized why the royal family was here! She wanted to tell them that they didn't need to do anything for her. She only wanted to help out Rapunzel. However, she realized if anything happened to her father, the King's aid might be the best chance to recover. Thankfully all her fears were brought to rest as she heard one of the King's men call out "He's slight. Your majesty. He's just fainted."

"Bring him down to the couch at once and make him a glass of water." The King ordered.

Elizabeth turned to her mother and asked "What does fainted mean?"

Her mother looked uncomfortable, but the Queen interrupted with "I can explain it to her. Why don't you go in the kitchen and make your husband a cup of water."

Elizabeth's mother normally didn't like being ordered around in her own house, but since it was the Queen who gave the order and her husband needed help, she swallowed her pride and hurried into the kitchen.

* * *

Sometime later, Elizabeth's father had completely recovered from his fainting spell thanks to the aid of the King's doctors. Now, he and his family were in the palace waiting to be knighted for Elizabeth's bravery.

The King called Elizabeth's father to him first. Elizabeth walked towards the King knelt down in front of him, the King placed his sword on Elizabeth's father and dubbed him 'Sir.' Then he did the same with Elizabeth and her mother each, the King then gave the family a fortune that would ensure them comfort for the rest of their lives and that was indeed the case. Not only that, Elizabeth and her family were frequently invited to the castle for all kinds of events including the wedding of Rapunzel and Eugene. Elizabeth and her family remained friends with the royal family of Corona for the rest of their lives and they lived happily ever after.

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 **What do you think?**

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